Suicide of Goh Yong Le

The Goh Yong Le [...] case involved an 11 year old Primary six student in Singapore who died by [...] on 29 July 2024 following school dismissal, shortly after a disciplinary process at school earlier that day concerning a missing item. The subsequent news release by national paper Straits Times attracted national and international attention. In addition to public discussions, this incident triggered reviews of disciplinary and mental well being protocols.

Background

Singapore has seen a rise in youth [...] in recent years. In 2023, there were 434 [...] deaths, and 476 in 2022. Provisional data for 2024 recorded 314 [...], with [...] remaining the leading cause of death among youths aged 10–29 for the sixth consecutive year. In response, advocacy group Project Hayat launched Singapore’s first [...] prevention White Paper in 2024 and initiated further studies.

Incident

On 29 July 2024 Goh Yong Le was taken out of mathematics class and brought to a conference room. He was questioned by two teachers about taking a classmate’s belonging the previous week. According to his father, Yong Le cried three times during the disciplinary process:

1. During a search for the missing item in the school garden.
2. After being asked to write a statement and having his schoolbag searched.
3. During an apology to the classmate outside the classroom before dismissal.

Teachers reported that he stopped crying each time and appeared “okay” afterward. The school attempted to contact his parents after the session, scheduling a call for 4:00 PM. However, the parents were unaware that the matter involved disciplinary action or that their son had been crying.

Yong Le was dismissed from school at 1:37 PM. Surveillance footage showed that he walked to a nearby HDB block and died by falling from height roughly 13 minutes later. Coroner findings released on 19 May 2025 concluded that he had been in a state of emotional distress and made the decision to end his life shortly after school.

Public and media response

The case drew national and international attention. The Straits Times featured Yong Le's story in its September 2025 series titled Let's Talk About [...], which included interviews with his father and mental health experts.

Political and advocacy reactions

Former President Halimah Yacob expressed sorrow over the incident, stating, "if we can do more to help our young navigate this very stressful period of their life, especially those who face greater difficulty in coping with their challenges and emotions, we should"

The Goh family began working with NGOs to advocate for reforms in school disciplinary procedures and emotional safety protocols.

Policy impact

Following the incident, Yong Le’s school revised its disciplinary procedures. Fact-finding sessions are now conducted in less formal, non-intimidating spaces. The family notes that the Ministry of Education confirmed that the case was included in its annual review and noted improvements will be implemented across schools under their purview.